WRITE A 10-MINUTE PLAY and WIN a $100 CASH PRIZE!
SUBMISSIONS OPEN SEPTEMBER 22, 2025, through MIDNIGHT, JANUARY 5, 2026
“Play with Words,” the Phillips’ Mill annual juried playwriting competition is open to students aged 12 – 18 attending school within a seventy-five (75) mile radius of New Hope, PA. The first fifty (50) submissions received will be considered by the judges.
CONTEST RULES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- All work will be original. Playwrights can collaborate.
- Playwrights may submit two plays for consideration.
- Scripts
- Must be no longer than 10 minutes in length – about 8 to 10 pages in standard playwriting format (See sample provided) Read your work aloud for timing.
- May have 1 to 4 actors, but actors can double roles.
- Should try to keep stage directions to a minimum.
- Winning Playwrights under the age of 18 will be asked to provide written consent from a parent or guardian to participate.
HOW TO ENTER AND SUBMIT
Play with Words is a blind judging competition. There is no entry fee.
Entries must be received via our website between September 22, 2025, and midnight, January 5, 2026.
When completing the online Entry Form, provide the title of your play and your age.
Provide a 6-digit number of your own choosing. This is your entry number and ensures that your work is judged anonymously.
The website will accept only the first fifty (50) scripts received.
- Submit your script as a PDF file, using the unique entry number as the only identification of the author and as the name of the file.
- Once ready, upload your submission using the on-line entry form.
- Proofread your form and your work and click “Submit.”
- You will receive an email confirmation once you successfully submit your entry. (Please check your spam folder if you do not receive a confirmation.)
Entries will not be accepted by postal service. If you do not have access to a computer, please contact us at drama@phillipsmill.org.
FORMATTING YOUR WORK
This Modern Play Format is meant as a guide, but not intended to inhibit the playwright’s style.
AWARD
Winners will be announced early February, 2026. Six (6) winning plays will be performed on the Phillips’ Mill stage before a live audience and each winner will receive a $100.00 cash prize. (Co-authored plays will share one cash prize). Authors of the six winning plays will also receive a professional written commentary on their work.
PRODUCTION
Phillips’ Mill will produce readings of the winning plays and select the director and actors for each reading. Playwrights will be notified of rehearsal times and are encouraged to attend. Additionally, winners are asked to be available for a virtual interview prior to performance, and to attend the March 8, 2026 reading—where they will participate in a post-performance, moderated discussion of their plays with the audience. .
HIGHLIGHTS FROM PLAY with WORDS 2025
PRE-SUBMISSION WORKSHOP
Play with Words will host a workshop via Zoom at 7:30pm on Thursday, October 22nd, 2025 to answer any questions about the competition and the art of playwriting. Registration information will be posted here soon.
Thank you, and best of luck to you!
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Finn Anderson
Finn Anderson is a young playwright based in Montgomery County. He finds inspiration in the abstract and submerges himself into the unknown in an attempt to uncover the truth in his writing. Anderson plans to attend a four-year university for Creative Writing and English.
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Matilda Bray
Matilda Bray is a poet, writer, and advocate for children’s literacy. Her second book of poetry was published in March 2023 through Moonstone Press. Her work has been published in Open Door Magazine, the Schuylkill Valley Journal, Neshaminy Journal, Rattle, and more.
Read More about Matilda in this Bucks County Herald article.
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Corinne Brintnall
Corinne is a 7th-grade student who lives in Bucks County. She loves to draw, paint, color and do crafts. Every year around Thanksgiving or Christmas, Corinne writes a play for her family to perform. In her free time, she enjoys playing outside, writing and drawing comics, crocheting and spending time with her older sister. She has been in a number of plays with her acting class and she also loves to sing.
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Saskia Cooper
Saskia was born in Westminster, England, in 2007 and moved to Princeton, New Jersey, in 2011. She is a sophomore at the Pennington School. Saskia is a devoted member of her school’s theatre program working in costumes and acting. She prides her work for being fun and ridiculous while still being moving. “The Calamity Crew” is her first official work.
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Srikar Pothuraju
Srikar has always been very interested in plays and films. The sound of dialogue and the magic of drama unfolding before his eyes never fail to mesmerize him. He is eager to explore the nuances of human emotion, and his creative journey is fueled by a relentless pursuit of the artistry that transforms words into unforgettable moments. This black belt also takes an interest in competitive tennis, football, and biology.
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Avigail Wus
Avigail is a freshman at Pennsbury High School, where she enjoys participating in theater and her school’s debate club. Outside of school, she is an avid reader who writes in her spare time. “The Blame Game” is her first attempt at playwriting, and she would like to thank her parents, her sister Ana, and her grandparents for always supporting her throughout her endeavors. She wishes to thank Mrs. Rowlands and Mrs. Pesature from Quarry Hill for supporting her writing journey.